When Holyfield came looking for Vijender

Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Kumar (file photo)

Beijing gave Vijender Singh the most cherished moments of his fledgling career but the one thing the Olympic bronze medallist missed out there was a chance to meet American boxing legend Evander Holyfield, who came looking for him after his semifinal bout.

"Holyfield came looking for me after my semifinal loss (to Cuban Emilio Correa Bayeaux) but I had left the arena by then," Vijender, India's first Olympic medallist in boxing, told. "Later I was told that he praised my performance, which was very nice of him and a great honour for me," the middle weight pugilist added.

A former world heavyweight champion, Holyfield, who was also seen at bantam weight boxer Akhil Kumar's quarterfinal bout against Moldovan Veaceslav Gojan, is now a recruiter for professional boxing in the USA.
    
Vijender, however, is not keen on turning professional. "I did give it a thought some time back but I am not interested anymore. I am focused on amateur boxing and I have no plans to turn pro," he said.

The 22-year-old said he would cut down on his appearances in the National Championships to be in shape for international events. "Since I have become a DSP with the Haryana government, I can't participate in the Nationals this year but even otherwise, I would not be seen very often in the national events," he revealed. 

The dapper six-footer has been flooded with modelling offers after his Olympic success and is already a youth icon for a leading insurance company. "But I am tired of telling people that my first love is boxing. I am a boxer first but unfortunately my modelling assignments have invited criticism from some quarters, which I think is baseless," he said.

Just days after becoming a national hero with his Olympic medal, Vijender had landed in a soup for posing with a cigarette during a magazine photo-shoot. And wary of inviting similar trouble, he refused to pose with a 'hookah' at his home in Kaluwas village in Bhiwani. "Who knows, this might also snowball into a controversy and people will say that I am setting a wrong precedent for the youngsters."

Another irritant for Vijender is the never-ending queries about Bollywood star Bipasha Basu and her much-publicised offer to go on a date with him had he won the gold in Beijing. "I wonder why I keep getting asked about it even though I have answered the same question over and over again? It is irritating, I am sick of it," he said.

But despite all this, Vijender says he has thoroughly enjoyed the adulation that has been showered upon by him by the nation. "It is humbling," is how he summed up the experience so far. Although he wants to  better his performance in 2012 London Olympics, Vijender said he is keen to take a break from boxing for now.

"It is time to have fun right now after all the hard work. I shall be back in action but give me a break. Let me savour the moment," he says.

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IOA officials skip Vijender's medal ceremony

VIJENDER SNUBBED BY IOA? Not a single IOA official was present at the medal ceremony.

  

Beijing: Indian boxer Vijender Kumar was awarded his bronze medal in Beijing on Saturday, but there were just a handful of people cheering him on at the presentation ceremony.

While the nation's chest swelled with pride as the tricolour went up, not a single official was present from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) at the medal ceremony.

The IOA President Suresh Kalmadi and Secretary General Randhir Singh were instead at the Bird's Nest stadium presenting medals to the winners of the 4 X 400 metre relays.

Only the Indian boxing contingent and members of the Indian Boxing Federation were around for the ceremony.

Vijender has been named the flag-bearer for India at the closing ceremony.

The boxer lost 5-8 to Cuban Emilio Correa Bayeaux in a closely contested semi-final at the Workers Gymnasium. However, his bronze is the first-ever boxing medal for India.

Emilio, a two-time Pan-American Champion, was clearly the better boxer on view with his quick footwork and reach. To Vijender's credit, he fought gallantly to carry the bout right into the fourth round, though the portents were clear that the Cuban had the edge by the end of the third round.

However, his win set into motion a chain of rewards back home in India. The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) on Saturday decided to reward shooter Abhinav Bindra, the country's first-ever individual gold medallist in Olympic Games, and bronze medal winners -- grappler Sushil Kumar and pugilist Vijender -- with cash prizes totalling Rs 45 lakh.

Low-cost airlines SpiceJet also announced on Friday that Vijender can fly for life in their domestic flights in recognition of his historic feat of winning a bronze in Beijing Olympics.

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